Being a successful woman in the law, according to Shirley A. Kaigler, means establishing both a work-life balance and marketability. Throughout her career as a tax and estate planning attorney, she’s been a role model in teaching others how to do it.

While working for the accounting firm of Arthur Young, Kaigler became pregnant with her first child, and the choice for her was simple: “After two years of working a rigorous schedule, I decided I couldn’t practice law that way and maintain a strong family unit.”

So she opened her own office and worked solo for nearly two decades on her own terms, picking up business marketing and networking skills out of necessity.

Yet, when she joined Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C., Kaigler was surprised to find that women who went through the partnership track there ­didn’t have the same work-life opportunities or they were not developing the same skills Kaigler had.

It prompted her to co-found the Women’s Caucus Group, a collective to help Jaffe’s female attorneys – from associates straight out of law school to those with 10 years under their belts – gain valuable methods of self-marketing and networking, as well as strategize a work-life balance to keep them retained in the firm.

“Many women leave law practice in a firm because they just can’t do both, and they can’t figure it out,” Kaigler said.

The results are simple, yet astounding, she added.

“It’s very basic – having happy people working in a culture and environment where they enjoy coming in, they feel they’re being successful in both their practice and their personal and family life,” Kaigler explained.

“In that environment, you’re able to service your client better, you enjoy what you’re doing, and you feel worth and value. … Looking at the development of a young lawyer holistically is an approach that we try to take. It’s certainly very important for me and the way I developed my career.”

Kaigler said she is very optimistic when it comes to women leading the future of law, based on numbers of female law school graduates, and the fact around half of her firm’s attorneys are women.

But, she’s quick to add, “Just as there are great opportunities, there is still a lot of work to be done, and the more seasoned lawyers need to reach out and continue to support the efforts of young people. We need to keep bringing in people who are generous in spirit, who follow and believe in justice and doing the right thing and using their skills not just for self but for the greater community.”

Kaigler is doing her part with strong involvement in the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, the D. Augustus Straker Bar Foundation (for which she served as president), the Black United Fund of Michigan – and, of note, the annual career day at the school where her daughter teaches third grade.

“You never know where you’re planting that seed, and which of them will end up going to law practice,” Kaigler said.